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Monitor Blackout

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Why is it that sometimes, usually while moving a monitor back and forth from machine to machine, your monitor refuses to turn on or, in some rare cases, your whole system fails to power up? I have experienced this problem whith both my own computer and one of my client’s machines.

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Reply To: Monitor Blackout

In reply to Monitor Blackout

When swapping monitors especially with XP based systems, the refresh rate may be wrong for the new monitor.

Otherwise, it can be that the video cable is not seated properly at either end.

I have even seen video cards that have creeped up out of the slot enough to not run the video properly.

Chas

Reply To: Monitor Blackout

In reply to Monitor Blackout

Besides what Chas has mentioned, a conflict can arise in APM signals.
But now let’s get to the real source of the problem.
You are using too new a monitor for troubleshooting.
If you use an old 15 inch SVGA monitor most of these conflicts will not arise, plus the loss is less if there is something seriously wrong with the video card, or there is a short.
(This is not common, we have only lost two monitors in ten years from defects in client’s PCs.)
(Yes, the picture will not be in the right place: so what, it can be adjusted.)
But now, back to the point.
The older, simpler, monitors make troubleshooting easy.
There is less that can be wrong.
Regards, Chris

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